1. Background
The present invention relates to a device for detachably mounting an automotive seat to a vehicle floor, with a seat-based mounting means for cooperating with a floor-based retaining piece of the vehicle, especially a stationary retaining piece.
First, the most various kinds of hook-type connectors are known for the detachable mounting of automotive seats in motor vehicles. Let several publications be referenced here just for sake of example: EP0397333, EP0602696, EP0609130, EP0546908, and EP0622266.
These known mountings have the disadvantage to some extent, that the entire seat must be moved in a particular way for removal or insertion, especially tipped. This is a disadvantage for heavy seats (bench seats) above all.
A mounting is known from both EP0747554 and 0716950, wherein we are dealing with a seat foot lock in the form of a pin-shaped or bolt-shaped fastener, which can be inserted into a retaining hole on the vehicle. At least one lock ball is arranged within the fastener in such a manner, that the lock ball locally projects laterally outwards in the inserted and locked position and engages the rim of the retaining hole. For unlocking, an internal bolt is pulled away from the region of the lock ball, particularly by means of a Bowden cable, so that the lock ball can make way towards the inside, after which the fastener can be removed from the retaining hole. This known device indeed has the advantage that the joint between seat and vehicle basically extends perpendicular to the vehicle floor, wherein we are dealing with simple longitudinal motion without any tipping of the seat. The known device has the disadvantage, however, that it is quite expensive structurally, specifically because a fairly large number of moving parts and spring elements are required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,693 likewise discloses a seat release mechanism. Two pincer-like hinge-connected retaining limbs are laterally fastened to the seat frame and its end regions are shaped in such a manner, that they interconnect with a retaining piece fastened to the vehicle floor when brought together in the arrested state. The pincer-like retaining limbs are pulled together into the arrested state by a tension spring, for example. A lever, which is shaped into a holding lever, acts against the spring force to release the connection, whereby the retaining limbs spread apart and the retaining piece is released. It is merely the tension spring that arrests this connection. In addition, the user must overcome the spring force in order to release the connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,345 discloses a ratchet system to arrest or release an automotive seat, especially for a van. This system is also based on two pincer-like retaining limbs that are hinge-connected to each other and cooperate with retaining means fastened to the vehicle floor. Only one retaining limb is swivel-mounted and pressed into the arrested state by a spring force. A Bowden cable moves the movable retaining limb against the spring force to release the connection, so that the pincer-like connection opens. This system is very expensive and here too it is necessary for the user to overcome the spring force to release the connection. Finally, only the spring force causes the arresting.
It is the objective of the present invention to create a device of the generic art, which is distinguished by structural simplicity and also high operational comfort.
This is achieved according to the invention, that the mounting means is designed pincer-like with two hinge-connected retaining limbs, the open end regions of the retaining limbs being designed in adaptation to said floor-based retaining piece in such a manner that, in an arrested state wherein the retaining limbs have been brought together, the mounting means can be connected locking positively with the retaining piece, whereas in a release state wherein the two retaining limbs are spread apart, it can be coupled with the retaining piece or be separated from the retaining piece.
The retaining piece on the vehicle can deal with a bolt-like part, which is basically cylindrical and extends approximately parallel to the vehicle floor, such as a support bow. Ball-shaped or mushroom-shaped retaining pieces would be likewise conceivable. The retaining limbs include receptacles for the retaining piece, wherein the receptacles are located on the open ends of the sides of the retaining limbs that are facing each other and are shaped to fit the contour of the retaining piece in such a manner that, in its arrested state, the holding piece is situated within the two receptacles, locking positively at least locally.
The mounting means according to the invention is designed extraordinarily simply structurally. The two retaining limbs only need to be hinge-connected. Appropriately, the two retaining limbs are each thereby acted upon by an expanding spring force and can be pressed together against the spring force by means of an actuating device. Consequently, only four individual parts are required (two retaining limbs, expanding spring, and actuating device). Appropriately, the actuating device is hereby designed sleeve-shaped and, relative to the retaining limbs, is also guided on them or over them sliding in such a way that, proceeding from the released state wherein the retaining limbs are arranged spread apart with at least their open end regions outside the sleeve-shaped actuating device, the retaining limbs are brought together into their arrested state and held together by pushing the actuating device over them in the direction of their open ends.
According to the invention, the direction of the seat bracket""s joint preferably thus corresponds to the actuating device""s actuating direction, wherein it is also of special advantage that we are only dealing with linear movements that are basically perpendicular to the vehicle floor. Complicated movements, particularly tipping movements, of the entire seat are hereby avoided, which is of particular advantage in the case of heavy seats (bench seats) above all.
The mounting device according to the invention appropriately only serves for arresting the seat. The carrying force or load-bearing are preferably ensured by separate support pieces (seat feet). But in this case, the mounting device according to the invention can be advantageously integrated into a seat foot. Additionally in this case, remote activation can advantageously be provided, for example by a Bowden cable (a cable where an inner wire transmits force by sliding through an outer flexible sleeve) or similar device.
Additional advantageous design characteristics of the invention are contained in the following description.